2boysmama

" If one is out of touch with oneself, then one cannot touch others. How often in a large city, shaking hands with my friends, I have felt the wilderness stretching between us. Both of us were wandering in arid wastes, having lost the springs that nourished us- or having found them dry. Only when one is connected to one's own core is one connected to others, I am beginning to discover. And, for me, the core, the inner spring, can best be refound through solitude." Anne Morrow Lindbergh

Monday, April 04, 2005

Check out my new digs!

Monday, March 28, 2005

File under: Happy

Oh, what a few days it has been! You, my dear reader, already know that Easter is my fave holiday. Let me just TELL you about my days of wonderfulness! Since there is so much the post would go on forever, I have decided to make you a list!

Wonderful things from the past few days:1) I had the weekend off and got to spend entire DAYS with my family.2) Mama brought the boys into the children's room at church so I got to listen to the entire Easter mass with minimal interruption (except from my sister!)3) Buddy, my sister, and I watched part of Jesus of Nazareth Saturday night until everyone was just about asleep (this is one of my all-time favorite movies!)4) I got to go to Elaina's, and we got our buns! Buddy's is Johnny, a French angora, and mine is Madchen (pronounced maid-chen) a small German angora hybrid.5) We saw day-old lambs with their mama.6) Mama made a praline French toast casserole that was awesome.7) I got to spend hours in Great Yarns while hubby got his new truck. I had a GREAT time.8) I knit my first whole sock, and it wasn't that hard!9) I made one of Kate Gilbert's bunnies, and Baba loves it!10) We saw my FIL and his wife and had a great visit, as well as a great lunch! Hubby and I split a piece of Carnegie's cheesecake with fresh blueberries and it was the best cheesecake ever!11) Baba had his first Easter basket and had lots of fun!

So, about Great Yarns.... I just had a wonderful time there. They have lots to look at, and look I did! I was told to stick to a budget, so I had to choose very carefully. So, I purchased: for more Kate Gilbert bunnies, 3 balls of Berocco Plush. These are to make a hot pink papa for buddy, and a light blue mama for baba. Next, some Twisted Sisters Jazz handpainted yarn. I love the Twisted Sister's Sock workbook, so when I saw this I *had* to buy it. I also bought ANOTHER set of size six DPNs so that I could start my socks right away!Lastly, I bought the yarn to make Pippa. Mine will be light pink, with a dark blue edging. I had planned on getting the Calmer to make Elspeth, but they just didn't have enough of the pink I wanted. I will have to get that later. I really like Pippa, too, though, so this was a good choice for me.SO, what did my son tell me recently when we were watching Gilmore Girls? He wishes I would dress like Lorelai, because "she's a cool mom". Funny, I didn't think my son would want me dressing so *funky*! But, Lorelai wears a lot of shrugs and cardis and stuff, so hey, my knitting would work with that!!

Friday, March 25, 2005

Happy Easter!

First I want to wish everyone a very happy Easter. THis is my favorite holiday all year. I have the whole weekend off and I get to go to church, so I am way excited. Tommorrow I am going to Elaina's to pick up buddy's french angora for 4-h, and hopefully a companion of the german hybrid kind for me!My husband has been so wonderfully supportive of me. I just can't believe I am so blessed to have him. He helped me get the cages all scrubbed and ready, and built me a little platform so the German bun won't be on the ground. This photo shows the home for the German. The French's cage will be on top of that, it has already been removed to use in rabbit transport!I finally took a look at my FBS and found where the extra stitch came in. Instead of frogging it back, I just knit it together with another stitch in the next row, and voila I am back on track again. I have decided to try to put this one to the forefront of my knitting right now. I screwed something up on one of my charts for Elsie and I am going to have to frog back several inches. That's not a big deal to me, but I hate to think of all the time I put into it. But I want to frog it so that it will look perfect, and anyways now I have the chart figured out so it should go easier.

I needed some mindless knitting to do for TV watching and knit night, so I started the heirloom bag in the new Rowan (37). I finished one side and started the gusset. I will need some help with the crocheting, but I have several friends who crochet so I am not too worried about that. I am knitting this bag from stash yarn, so it's being made with Lion Brands Microspun yarn, a microfiber. I like the feel of this yarn, but I think it would be even better in something lacy. It's just plain old boring stocking stitch for the bag.This fabric is a reproduction from a 1943 print. I found it at Jo-ann's on their clearance rack for only $4. yd. I am going to make a wrap skirt similar to the one I made for Easter, but the shorter version. Unfortunately I can't show you the Easter skirt yet, as it is packed in the car and ready to go! I'll show you some Easter shots though.

Monday, March 21, 2005

Mama Mia!!

OK, it has been crazy around here the past week. I hate craziness. I like calm and quiet. That, it has not been.

Let's see: the good:

1) I got a package from Sicily!!! Wendy sent me the most AMAZING yarn stash! There is "a whole animal's worth" of a great beige yarn (as my friend Elizabeth said). It is enough to make a cardi or pullover. I am still deciding which to make. This yarn just has the greatest texture to it!Next, 2 skeins of Grignasco soft kid in beige. What a nice soft yarn this is. Maybe good for a fuzzy collar on cardi? HMMM....Then there was three skeins of a beautiful dark blue lambswool angora. It is not quite navy and feels great. This need to be made into something that I will wear right against my skin!! Wendy also sent a package of beads which are not shown. They will make pretty stitch markers, just trust me on that one. I put them somewhere baba couldn't get them. Unfortunately a lot of times my "safe" spots are even safe for me because I can't remember where they are!2) I arranged a swap with Chelsea, my former SP3! She had gotten the Rowan 37 and did not like it. I wanted to get it, so I asked if she would like some handmade cards and stationery to swap. She said yes, and I rec'd the Rowan book already! There are some beautiful things in this one- I want to make a lot of them! I have made Chelsea a bunch of cards, I am sending them out today or if I can get hubbie to send via UPS tommorrow, so they can get there quicker. I didn't do the stationery yet, because I want to make a few different designs and let her pick one. It is fun making stationery for another person! Oh, I don't actually make the paper, I just do the designs. You'd be surprised how much you can do, though, with some stamps and ink, fibers and markers.....

3) Since buddy moved downstairs, I now have a sewing room! His twin bed is still in there, and it makes a perfect place to put my blocking board, and gives me a place to lay out pattern pieces. Right now I am working on my skirt and blouse for Easter. I found Amy Butler fabrics and patterns thanks to Brynne and SWIM. I am in love! A friend from work really likes the designs too, and I am going to make her one of the handbags. She likes the Chelsea, and I like the Madison.

Today I downloaded patterns for the first time- what fun! I ordered the plain knit bucket hat from Bonne Marie Burns, and the Bunny! from Kate Gilbert. What fun it was to order patterns from a designer, knowing all of the money goes directly to them! I thought the bucket hat in child's size would be great for spring in a cotton. And I had to order the bunnies once I saw them! I think Kate Gilbert is an awesome designer, and I love her sense of color.

There are signs of spring popping up. Today it is about 70 degrees and sunny. I love warm sunny weather, but I don't actually consider it warm until we break 80 degrees. But we are getting there! My pear tree is blooming, and so are my lenten roses. I am going to get the soil and assorted amendments to plant my beautiful valentine's roses this week. I am so excited that it is getting nicer out!I also had fun yesterday, while at work, we had a little slow time between emergent/urgent surgeries, so I taught my friend RUSS how to knit!! He was so excited, he is making a garter stitch scarf to start out with. I gave him big wool and big needles so that it would be a good "quick" project. Let him get some instant gratification, so he'll be hooked. He was so stoked when he had knit about 4 rows and could see progress!

Click this link for a funny bunny Easter Greeting: http://www.grayace.com/dex/bunny.html

Thursday, March 17, 2005

Knitting my bit

After reading Margene post about the Dulaan project, I thought what a great idea, to knit up some hats for children who are not as fortunate as my own. I dug through my stash and found threee balls of "Luxury Cashmere" purchased at A.C. Moore which I thought would be great for hats. Now, the name is a little misleading, it is only 6%cashmere, but the yarn DOES feel wonderful. I have knit up two hats and have one on the sticks. One of the bears is modeling since Baba is down for his nap right now.The bear is wearing Baba's Easter vest. I am really happy with the way it turned out; It looks great on Baba and he loves to wear it! Since it is made of nylon, it is machine washable, but it really feels nice.

I have worked on Elsie. We had our knitting night last night but I forgot to bring my camera. It was a real shame because we had 3 dogs there! Penny is Melissa's dog, and she has a new housemate who has two dachsunds. I was in heaven sitting on Melissa's couch, with Penny curled up between Stephanie and me, and then Linus on my lap, and daisy on the top of the couch behind my head. It was wonderful to be surrounded by the doggies and have lots of lovin!Anyways, about Elsie, she is coming along. Rather slowly lately, because I was just too sad to want to knit much. But last night I cast of for one of the fronts, so that I could just chat while knitting. Here is what I did:Obviously, not much knitting going in! We were too busy eating, admiring Melissa's newly re-upholstered chair (she did a great job, with some help from Stephanie), trying to re-arrange her decorating on her..... We always have such a wonderful time. Our group is just a great bunch of ladies who all get along so well, and there is always fun and interesting conversation. Oh, and I am getting to know a lot about the historic Wilmington area, and who owns which house, and when they were built and for who, and so on. But the conversation goes something like this "you know, the white house down the street, gay Phil lives there....""no, not that gay phil, gay phil that lives with mike...""oh, THAT gay phil....."Am I getting to know too much about their neighbors?Oh, btw, the fabric under the progress on Elsie- I am going to make Stephanie a knitting bag. She came to knitting night with her stuff in a plastic "patient belongings bag." I told her that was skank and I was going to make her a knitting bag!On the rabbit front: I talked with the vet, and Georgie had a rising E. Caniculi titer. E. Caniculi is a parasitic infection that may or may not have caused his demise. The only way to know for sure would be to do a necropsy, and I just couldn't bear the thought of that. You can read about the infection here. Anyways, I told you that when we got George there was a very nice French angora there that Buddy liked. We are going the day before Easter to pick him up from Elaina. I am going to see if she has any of George's relatives available. The rabbits will have new digs, in metal cages in my garage. I know that sounds bad but it isn't, really. I will be able to check on them very frequently, they will be protected from the wind, rain, and sun. I am going to attempt litter box training so they can be inside more. Georgie could only be inside while he was in my lap, which was actually a lot. I loved having him in after dinner and combing his hair. The french angora that Buddy is getting is beautiful, and he will be able to show him for 4-h since he is a purebred.

I have a little decorating to do. We let buddy move from his upstairs bedroom down to the guest room, so I bought him a couple posters to hang on the wall (A chopper from West Coast Choppers, and one of Lindsay Lohan) so that the place will feel more like his own room. But now that he will be downstairs, I can move my craft table upstairs to his room, which will be the guest room. I am going to put my sewing machine up there, and I am so excited because I have a lot of projects that I have been putting off because I dreaded sewing in my closet! I can even set the table up to have the view of the pond while I sew. I am so excited about that! I will have to show you "my" room when I am done!This is one of the projects I am excited about getting done- a sheer blouse to wear over a cami. I think it will look so chic!!

Oh- one last thing- are you having trouble reading my text? It shows black to me but I have been told it is blue. Is it readable?

Thursday, March 10, 2005

Springtime visit

My mother in law is coming in today from Buffalo to visit for a few days. This is the only woman who had enough patience to help me learn how to knit. She helped me with the sweater that I have posted, the light blue and white one Baba was wearing. There was no way I could have made that without her!

I did do a little knitting last night. I am almost done with Baba's Easter vest- I just need to pick up the stitches and rib one armhole, then block it. I think it will look very nice on him.

I started on the chart for Elsie, and it is going slow, until I get into the groove. I am enjoying working with the Jaeger luxury tweed. It is a little scratchy, so I am glad I am making a cardi with it.

I had tried to order the yarn for a tank from Viking Knits from Jimmy Beans, but I found out they ran out of it. So I will be buying the yarn tommorrow when we take Mama to Southport. There is a great shop there, Angel Wing Needle Arts.

Thank you to all who posted about George. I am still really upset about his loss. I will definitely get another German. He was not successful breeding before he left, but my breeder does have some of him relatives. God, I just miss him so much. We did destroy the hutch he was in (wood) and the next buns will live in wire crates and inside of my garage. I would rather have rabbits in there and park in the driveway, anyways!!

Hubbie has the next few days off while his mama visits, so I am enjoying spending time with him. I can't wait until I can stop working every Sunday and take back the sabbath!

Wednesday, March 09, 2005

George W., R.I.P.

I am so sorry to say that my beloved big bunny George W. has passed away. He got sick last week, and even with expert nursing care, he succumbed to whatever it was that made him sick. I am still waiting to get the results from George's blood tests to see if we can find out what made him so sick. The wonderful Dr. Jaffe did all that he could, and he told me that he knew I did everything possible to save him.

George was sick for a week, and I knew Monday night that he would not make it. I brought him to bed with me and just laid him on my chest and petted him and loved him. Buddy was with us too. George knew that he was loved.

We buried him yesterday, in the garden. I am going to get a bunny garden statue to place at his grave and will probably plant a real nice flower there too.

Buddy seems OK, but I feel so sad. George was the nicest bunny. He was so sweet and loving.

I haven't done much knitting, with all of this going on. I am almost done with Baba's Easter vest. Elsie has just sat around, resting in the knitting basket with FBS.